Hinkley Point B power station
Hinkley Point B is a nuclear power station near Bridgwater in Somerset. The station was the first Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor to generate electricity to the grid in the UK. When it finished generating in August 2022 it was the most productive nuclear power station the UK has ever had.
Since 1976 Hinkley Point B has generated 311 TWh of low carbon electricity
Enough to power every home in the South West for 33 years
Avoiding 108m tonnes of CO2 emissions*
Like taking every car off the UK’s roads for 18 months
*when compared to direct emissions of combined cycle gas turbines | all figures rounded to the nearest hundred thousand
Hinkley Point B decommissioning
Hinkley Point B stopped generating electricity in August 2022 after 46 years of service. Over the next few years EDF will remove the used fuel from the reactors and prepare for the decommissioning of the nuclear power station.
Decommissioning will involve dismantling and demolition of plant and buildings on the Hinkley Point B site and will be carried out by Magnox, which is part of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.
Learn about our plans at our online exhibition space or contact us directly by emailing HPBdecommissioning@edf-energy.com.
Consultation – Round 2
We first consulted on the overall decommissioning approach in October – November 2022. Since then we have further developed the plans and made progress in the Environmental Impact Assessment process. We are holding a second round of consultation between 15 April and 27 May 2024. We are using this second round to feedback on the views expressed during 2022’s consultation.
We are also giving more detail on some of the proposals, including projections on transport movements and waste volumes. Views given during the second round of consultation will inform our planned submission later this year of an Environmental Statement to the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) under the Nuclear Reactors (Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning) Regulations 1999 (as amended) which requires approval before decommissioning can proceed. To find out more please visit our online exhibition space.
Public consultation events in the community
The timing and location of these are:
- The Sedgemoor Room, Wembdon Village Hall, Homberg Way, Wembdon, Bridgwater TA6 7BY: Friday 19th April 15:00 – 19:00
- Stogursey Victory Hall, 32 Tower Hill, Stogursey, Bridgwater TA5 1PR: Thursday 25th April 15:00 – 19:00
Copies of the consultation documents are also available to view and collect from the following locations from 15 April to the 27 May:
- The Thomas Poole Library, Nether Stowey
- Address: Castle Street, Nether Stowey, Bridgwater TA5 1LN
- Hinkley Point Visitor Centre
- Address: Cannington Court, Church Street, Cannington, Bridgwater TA5 2HA
- Bridgwater Library
- Address: Binford Place, Bridgwater TA6 3LF
Decommissioning update
The first phase of decommissioning, the Preparations for Quiescence phase, is anticipated to start at the end of defueling (with formal handover of the site to NRS expected in 2027). This first phase will involve the removal of all buildings and plant from the site, with the exception of the reactor buildings and some adjoining structures which will be modified to create a Safestore structure.
Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning
In October 2022, we submitted our Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Scoping Report to the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) setting out the proposed scope of the EIA to be undertaken for the Hinkley Point B decommissioning proposals under the Nuclear Reactors (Environmental Impact Assessment for Decommissioning) Regulations 1999 (as amended).
We received a Pre-application Opinion (PAO) from the ONR in December 2022 which provided feedback on the proposed scope and methodology of our EIA for Hinkley Point B and the decommissioning proposals. This PAO was created by ONR following its own consultation with key statutory and regulatory consultees and can be found on the ONR Website.
Marking the end of 46 amazing years of generation at Hinkley Point B nuclear power station
As we mark the end of 46 amazing years of generation at Hinkley Point B, our employees have been talking about what has made the nuclear power station so special.
From the community spirit of those who work there to the amount of energy supplied to the UK, there is so much to celebrate and be proud of.
About Hinkley Point B
- Station Director: Mike Davies
- Reactor type: 2 Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors
- Total supply to the national grid: 965 MW
- Coolant: Carbon dioxide gas (CO2)
- Start of construction: 1967
- Start of generation: 1976
- Date of decommissioning: August 2022
- People: Approximately 535 full time EDF employees, plus over 220 full time contract partners
Contact us
- Address:
EDF Hinkley Point power station
Nr Bridgwater
Somerset TA5 1UD
Reception:
+44 (0)1278 654600 - Media requests:
Matthew Pardo Matthew.Pardo@edf-energy.com
+44 (0)7384 529006
Community requests:
Dave Stokes
dave.stokes@edf-energy.com
+44 (0)1278 654699
Community
EDF and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority hold regular joint meetings with local people, the media, council and emergency service representatives and local politicians, to maintain regular communications about the nuclear site. This meeting is independently chaired. Read the latest community report.
Safety and reporting
Our number one priority is safety. Find out about our commitment to Zero Harm.
How we generate our power
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